Trampoline FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions – You Asked, We Answer!

In the old days when home trampolines began to be somewhat popular, people were convinced that only gymnasts and cheerleaders are capable enough to use it. But truth is everything but this as more and more people of every age tend to use it regularly.
Kids have fantastic time jumping on it, playing games and working out simultaneously, not even realizing it. Benefits it will bring to their overall health are enormous.
Choosing a trampoline size that will best fit can be hard task. It is in human nature that people want to buy biggest trampoline available on the market. But is this really necessary? Well, not exactly as this is in most cases completely unnecessary.

Do I need any previous gymnastics experience?

No, everybody can jump on trampoline as no previous experience is needed. Only make sure that you jump within your skill set. Don`t expect that doing flips is easy and that you should immediately try it. For a start, just some regular bouncing will suffice. You do not have to be a gymnast to use a trampoline, and there are several health benefits associated with trampolines which should convince you!

Is there minimum age limit?

Generally there is age limit for standard outdoor trampolines where age 6+ is considered as bare minimum for using trampolines bigger than 10 ft.
For younger children we would recommend trampolines designed specifically for them. Bare in mind that kids trampolines are usually smaller in size and can be used indoors, all year long. But, if you do purchase bigger trampoline it will be just fine, but don’ expect that bounce will be high as supposed to.

How big of a trampoline do I need?

One of the most common questions as people are generally not sure how all that sizing works, so first question is always “Is a 12ft trampoline big enough for my child?” or “Is there any notable difference between 14 and 15 foot trampoline?“, and there really is no straight-forward answer, as what will be fine for one it may not suit another.

Consider the following:

Who will be using it?
As you might presume, there is no point buying 14ft or bigger trampoline if only bouncer will be toddler or small child. In that case, it is best to buy 8 ft or 10 ft trampoline. 12 ft trampolines can be purchased if the trampoline will be used by older children or teenagers and 14 ft only for teenagers or whole family.
Always try to match children`s age and capabilities with size of the trampoline. Also, next aspect for decision is size of your garden. Take those facts into consideration and you will get perfect trampoline size which will suit your needs.

Will it fit your backyard?
We always want best & biggest, but there were cases when people forgot that their backyard is not big enough for trampoline ordered… Most likely this can occasionally happen when people order online, without seeing how big that trampoline really is.

Actual differences:

10 foot or 12 foot trampoline
10 ft trampoline will roughly give you total jumping surface area of 63 sq ft while 12ft trampoline will be around 93 sq ft. On top of that, 10ft trampolines mostly do have shorter springs and will be most suitable for light-weight jumpers. Some general rule of thumb is that for 12 ft trampoline child needs to be at least 10 years old. Also, spring count will be a bit higher, generally +8 per added foot.

12 foot vs 14 foot trampoline
As in previous calculation, 12 ft round trampoline will give you roughly 93 sq ft of jumping area while 14 ft will provide around 133 sq ft. 14 ft trampolines are recommended for teenagers or families with several children, as this is enough to accommodate all of them, if they decide to exercise or play together. Regarding spring count, 12 ft trampolines will roughly have 72 springs while 14 ft trampolines will have 84+. Of course, different brands have different number of springs, due to design, purpose etc, so always check for exact spring count.

14 foot vs 15 foot trampoline
14 ft round trampoline will provide around 133 sq ft of overall jumping area, will on 15 ft trampolines this goes up to 154+ sq ft. The biggest difference here is not only in spring count, but also spring length. As ones responsible for bounce quality and height, if it matters to you, then always aim for longer ones (at least 8″+)

How to calculate overall jump area out of diameter?

First take into consideration the fact that some trampolines do have padding, so measure this as well and subtract from previous result before going to multiply.

Round TrampolinesThe formula for the area of a circle is the radius squared multiplied by the constant pi, or 3.14159.

Measure the diameter of the circular area in feet using the tape measure. The diameter is a straight line that passes through the center of a circle.

For example, assume the diameter of the trampoline to be 15 ft. Now let’s subtract width of trampoline pad for 1ft (15ft-1ft=14ft).

Divide the length of the diameter by 2 to find the radius (14 / 2 = 7). The radius is 7 ft.

Multiply the radius by itself to square the number (7 x 7 = 49). Multiply the result by pi (3.14159), so (49 x 3.14159 = 153.9).

The result is the area of the circle in square feet–153.9 square feet.

Rectangle Trampolines
Easy. Just measure the length and width of each side and then multiply those two numbers together to get the jumping area in feet squared (ft2).

What are available shapes of trampoline and when to use which?

Trampolines come in several shapes, where each one has it purpose. They are available in five main types: round, rectangular, oval, square trampolines (which were introduced for filling out a gap between round and rectangular and they take best qualities of both) plus some additional models, like octagonal.
There is one more category which covers more and more popular mini trampolines. Click here for reviews of best mini trampolines.

Is there really any difference when jumping on different shapes of trampolines?

This answer is pretty straight-forward – YES, and if you really want best bouncing experience then only rectangular, oval and springless trampolines can be considered.

Difference between them is that rectangular trampolines are better in height of bounce, but they are not so safe as trampolines can be, not even near springless trampolines but pretty close to round trampolines. So which one to take is all about what you really need it for, recreational or training purposes.

If part-time recreation is main reason, springless trampolines would be my first choice.

If main reason is training, rectangular trampoline is what you need as round trampolines mostly do not have enough room for performing tricks (but are safer because jumpers in round trampolines are always directed to the center of trampoline mat) and rectangular will give you best performance and available space (but are less safer because jumpers alone decides where it will land on a mat).

With oval trampolines you can get enough room for tricks and as design is similar to round trampolines, as they also point bouncer back to the center of trampoline mat.

Do all trampolines have same weight limit?

Of course not. Trampoline weight limit is different on all trampolines, based on several elements from which trampoline is made of. Frame thickness, springs, mat quality, number of stitches and overall quality of those parts has huge impact on maximum weight limit of the bouncer.

I want best available trampoline on the market for recreational purposes. Which should I buy?

If you plan to use your trampoline for recreational purposes on a daily basis consider buying 14 or 15 ft round trampoline, 9 x 15 ft rectangular trampoline or 8 x 13 ft large oval spring based or springless trampoline. Of course, size and available place in your backyard also count.

Which is the safest trampoline?

All trampolines that we review on our site meet all the recommended safety guidelines. Truly dangerous trampolines are rare, and you won’t find them here – only in brick and mortar stores as low-cost units.

Of course, it would be unfair to say that some trampolines simply aren’t safer than others. They have better poles, tighter enclosure and more padding.

Generally speaking, Springfree trampolines have been the safest ones we’ve tested, on average. Their whole product range is consistently safe.

Vuly Thunder is your nuclear option for safety, but it’s also mighty expensive, truly a premium unit for those who demand absolute perfection, and same could be told for JumpSport Elite or Skybound Stratos. All depends on what you really need!

If you want the safest trampolines for your kids, there are plenty of dedicated small kids trampolines that aren’t as high. They have legs made of sturdy plastic and springs that provide a gradual bounce to aid the kids in keeping their balance.

Professional Trampolines Vs. Outdoor Recreational Trampolines

Professional trampolines are intended to be more powerful and more durable compared to normal trampolines. Generally, the elasticity of these trampolines is situated all throughout the springs as they require more rigidity and firmness. Professional trampolines come only in one shape – as rectangular trampolines!

What is the difference between home and pro trampolines:

• A majority of the parts of a professional trampoline is made up of steel. In spite of its weight, these trampolines are easy to move from one place to the other.

• This is normally used by sport professionals and in some situations, by normal individuals who may be using it for exercise.

• Their fabrics are specially developed and made sturdier than normal trampolines but are still considerably lightweight that allows for easy transport.

• The average base size of this type of trampoline is 14 – 17 feet.

• All these features, especially the springs, are what allow the user to bounce much higher.

Trampolines for professional use are expected to cost more than your normal trampolines. The price is reasonably high, as this has top quality that a lot of professional athletes rely on, especially in cases where this is to be used for business or in competition. These are used in various sports to condition the athletes in sports like cross training and skiing.

There are a lot of advantages of having a trampoline of this type. It’s a good practice to research thoroughly first on the particular type you need by looking up some more information on the internet or probably you could find someone who has familiarity and knowledge about them. From there, you can decide on which is best. You need to consider all angles like the quality, the safety, the price, etc.

Ultimate 4×4 is made by Eurotramp, and it is true competition trampoline used in Olympics and World Trampolining Championship!

How NOT to get hurt on trampoline!?

This is interesting question but unfortunately there is no unique answer. But we can tell you this:

always read trampoline user manual as it will help you get started with your trampoline training, if nothing more, you will learn some basic moves to start with!

always use trampoline safety pads and trampoline enclosure – they are a life saver,

check trampoline mat for cuts or tearing before every jumping session,

check if trampoline springs are firmly attached to frames and mat,

DO NOT over-estimate your abilities. Learn to bounce properly before performing any tricks,

DO NOT let children inside trampoline without supervision. Trampoline is not a kindergarten,

If neighbors kids will come to play any trampoline games, explain them how to act on trampoline. Rules must be known!